


Sweet Synchronicity

by CaliforniaQueen



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Broken Heart, Champagne Problems, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Light Angst, Mention of Bazine/Ben relationship, POV First Person, POV Rey (Star Wars), Rey isn't the problem, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:42:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28018695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaliforniaQueen/pseuds/CaliforniaQueen
Summary: Rey helps Ben mend a broken heart.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 21
Kudos: 48
Collections: Reylo Evermore Flash Fic





	Sweet Synchronicity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [darthswift13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/darthswift13/gifts).



> For Maddy, the biggest Swiftie there is

It was a late Friday evening, and I had just gotten off work, so I popped into the bodega on the way to the station, looking for a little something to quell my sugar fix. I made my choice and paid quickly, not wanting to chance missing the train again. I could spare cash for Red Vines—an Uber was a different story.

The train had a musty, humid atmosphere, which was odd considering there were only three people (well, four including me) contributing their end-of-day breath to the enclosed space. A tiny woman blanketed in various mismatched knit accessories sat slumped on the far side of the train, snoring rhythmically while simultaneously gripping her wire utility cart jammed with grocery bags filled to bursting. I smiled at the sight, recognizing in her what every other city-dweller inherently possessed—the ability to be on guard, even in sleep. 

The second passenger sat on the same side as me, three seats down on my right. He was tall, thin, and had a shock of bright, red hair that flopped over his forehead. He looked a little too twitchy for my tastes. Too-bright, green eyes with near pinpricks of pupils in the center rolled my way, and he grinned widely, showing a mouthful of teeth that could use a good flossing. His entire vibe made my heart begin to race and not in a good way. I quickly broke eye contact and spotted the third passenger sitting across from me. 

Upon seeing him, my first thought was how much space he took up just sitting on the train’s hard, plastic seats. He wore a deep navy suit, which was a bit rumpled, but understandable considering the time of day, a white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, and a loosened navy tie. He was leaning forward, elbows resting on his wide-spread knees, holding a glittering diamond ring in his comically large hand. He tilted it left and right, sending tiny sprinkles of light here and there from the fluorescents above. 

His body hunched over, shoulders slumped in defeat, and thick, dark, wavy hair curtained his face, not allowing me to see his expression but piquing my curiosity. Just then, I heard him sniff loudly and saw him pass his free hand over his eyes, clearly wiping away tears. I immediately wanted to comfort this poor person who looked like he could use a friend. 

“Hi,” I suddenly heard a phlegmy voice whisper in my ear, startling me out of my thoughts and nearly making me jump out of my seat. The creepy red-head from three seats over was suddenly right at my side, grinning at me and smelling like rotten meat and at least a five-day-old unwashed foot. I felt my nostrils flare, and I willed myself to stop breathing through my nose. Immediately, I leaped up and approached the melancholy behemoth across the aisle.

“Hey, mind if I sit here?” I asked, pointing to the unoccupied seat next to him. He looked up at me, confusion and sadness in his eyes. My breath caught at the face before me, full of unconventional angles, dotted with freckles and beauty marks, and eyes the color of the quality organic honey I bought at that fancy farmers market up north last month. It was a good face. 

He just shrugged and shook his head, indicating that he didn’t mind, and I thanked him before sitting down, avoiding eye contact with Mr. Tooth Decay, who had decided to stretch his body out on the entire row of seats. I adjusted to get comfortable and took out my Red Vines package, casually opening them while surreptitiously sizing up my seatmate. 

“Just so you know,” I said, “I have GPS tracking hidden somewhere on my body, and you’ll never find it. So there’s no point in kidnapping me because you’ll definitely be caught.” I bit off a third of a Red Vine and chewed meaningfully, watching him lean back and stare at me incredulously. 

“What? What are you talking about? Why are you talking to me?”

“A couple of reasons. First, you’re big and solid enough to defend me against that weirdo,” I pointed at said weirdo, who had quickly fallen asleep. “Second, I’ve seen you crying for three stops over that ring.” I gestured with my candy in the direction of the ring in his hand. He flushed scarlet, and I hurried to reassure him.

“Hey, don’t be embarrassed. I cry at the drop of a hat. I speak the language. Champagne problems?”

“What?” he asked. He looked around the train dubiously, in what I could only assume was a search for a hidden camera crew. I giggled and finished my piece of candy, grabbing another piece and popping it in my mouth, where it dangled like a limp imitation of a cigar and explained.

“You know, engagements, weddings, champagne. Champagne problems.” I gestured again at the ring. 

“I guess you could say that,” he agreed, scrubbing his hand over his face and brushing his hair back, only for it to fall back into place like some ridiculous shampoo commercial. 

“Thought so,” I said. I held the package of candy over to him and shook it under his chin. “Here, have a Red Vine.”

“No, thanks. Those things are gross.”

“I know,” I sighed. “But it’s my last night of ten straight twelve-hour days, and I need the sugar to stay awake, so I don’t fall asleep until the end of the line. It was either these or pixie sticks. They’re bad for me, but I have a wicked sweet tooth. My friend Rose said my bones are probably hollowed out like a bird due to poor nutrition.”

“You talk a lot,” he said, eyeing me like I was a threat to his safety. 

“Another side effect from all the sugar,” I held out my hand, then thought better of it. Taking a wet wipe from my bag, I wiped off the sticky residue and offered my hand again. “Name’s Rey.”

A ghost of a smile twitched his lips, and he grasped my hand in return. “Ben.”

Now I used to believe that all the songs and stories about that mythical electric shock you get when you touch _that_ person were all crap. I knew this. But when his warm hand engulfed mine and held it for the briefest of moments, it truly was like a tiny little jolt. Like when you rub your shoes on the carpet and touch someone just to feel the shock. I had always been a skeptic, but when our hands connected, I wasn’t so sure. 

“N-Nice to meet you,” I managed to stutter before getting a hold of myself. “So. Wanna talk about it? Go full Blanche Dubois and depend on the kindness of a stranger?”

This time he raised an eyebrow at me, and, oh, that was a new look. How could this man look so appealing when he was looking at me like I was on heavy medication? 

“Didn’t she go crazy?” 

“Then just go half Dubois. The talking part, not the go to a mental hospital part.” I bit into yet another piece of candy, starting to feel a different kind of zing from the sugar content. “What’s her name?”

“Bazine,” he said. There was only a hint of a quaver in his voice when he spoke her name. I didn’t mean to laugh, but an involuntary snort escaped me before I could stop myself.

“Sounds like medicine for a rash.”

He was not amused. Or at least I couldn’t tell. He hadn’t shown me too many expressions yet, so maybe I missed what amusement looked like on him. At any rate, I figured I had better apologize. 

“Sorry. So—why did she say no?”

“I—“ he stopped and breathed an unsteady breath, obviously trying to control his emotions. “I wasn’t enough for her.”

“Somehow, I doubt that,” I replied, my heart breaking for this gentle giant with his own heart in his hands. 

“You don’t even know me.”

“Eh. Call it a hunch. You seem like a decent guy. A nice suit, and you smell better than that one at least,” I joked. “Did she honestly say that, though?”

“No. She didn’t give a reason. Just turned me down. Stopped me before I even got started. Right in the middle of the dance floor at a party that my parents were throwing for our second anniversary, she said we should break up.”

“Well, that’s just rude.”

The look he gave me then gave me a flutter in my belly that was probably inappropriate under the circumstances.

 _So that’s what amusement looks like on you,_ I thought. It looked good. 

“That’s all you have to say?”

“I figured I shouldn’t push it after the rash medicine comment. So what happened next?”

“She dropped my hand and turned and walked out. Left me in the middle of the dance floor with this in my pocket. Like a chump.”

He held the ring up so I could see. It looked older than I first thought. An antique, maybe? It was a delicate platinum filigree band with a cushion cut diamond. The multifaceted stone caught the light just right, radiating tiny rainbows across its surface. It was beautiful. 

“That’s gorgeous, and she’s dumb.”

He huffed a laugh that was more matter than mirth. 

“I thought. You know, I truly thought this was it. That she was the one. Now I just feel shredded. Completely empty. And stupid.”

“It’s not stupid to love someone, Ben.” I reached over, put my hand on his arm, and gave him what I hoped was a comforting squeeze. His mouth twitched, and he gave me the smallest of half-smiles. I wanted to cry for the love he lost, coupled with the love I’d never known. “But I get it. It’s probably pretty hard to bounce back after something like that.”

“Yeah,” he replied softly. His gaze moved from my hand on his arm, to my eyes, and back to his arm again. I felt my face flush and drew back my hand, clearing my throat. 

“I probably should have seen it coming,” he continued. “If I think about it, there were signs. Maybe I was just trying to hold on to something I knew wasn't going to last.”

“One day, Ben, you’ll find the person who wears that ring proudly, holds your hand on the dance floor without letting go, and looks at you the same way you look at her. Someone who can sew up the shredded pieces and make you feel complete again. You’ll find her, and you’ll carry her picture around in your wallet. You won’t be able to take your eyes off of her; you’ll be so in love. It’ll happen. And you’ll forget all about Bazine and her champagne problems.” I held my hands up and mimed air quotes, delighting in the smile Ben gave me in return. 

That smile was the catalyst to my heart collapsing in on itself—his serious face transformed with an infectious, youthful joy. He was all crooked teeth and crinkles by his eyes. I had to stop and look away before I burst into tears right there on the train, heartsick over someone I didn’t even know. The impending station’s announcement saved me from making an utter fool of myself, and I proceeded to gather my things, stuffing the last of my candy back in my tote. 

“This is me. Good luck to you, Ben.” 

“Thanks, Rey.”

I stood to ready myself for the stop, confused, tired, and eager to break down in private when I felt him grasp my hand. I was afraid to turn around, not wanting him to see a bizarre stranger crying over something she couldn’t quite understand. 

“Rey?” 

“Yes?” I answered, my voice husky with emotion. The same tingle from before shot through my hand at his touch, and I turned slowly to see a mirrored look of wonder on his face. 

“Can I maybe call you sometime?”

**********

Ben looks up at Rey, microphone in one hand, champagne glass in the other, her diamond ring winking in the soft glow of the same candlelight that shines on her dress. She’s a vision and so charming and funny that she’s captivated the entire ballroom with their story. His heart is so full of love for her; he can’t believe there was ever anyone else. 

She finishes up their tale by looking at Ben, both of their gazes softening the instant they make eye contact. He can see a happy tear roll down her cheek, and he stands, reaching out to brush it away. Her voice is full of happiness and love as she says one final thing before he pulls her close and kisses her softly. 

“I’m so glad I said yes.”

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I listened to Taylor Swift's Evermore and "Champagne Problems" stood out for me immediately. The song is a reassurance to the broken-hearted that yes, you'll go on, and you'll find someone better. It will be okay. And so I thought I'd have Rey be Ben's someone better. It was cathartic after crying through the whole album. It is complete fluff, but it made me happy. and I hope it did the same for you. xoxo


End file.
